What're You Looking At?

In a bid to be the first "Top of 2007", Yahoo!7 today released its results of top search results for 2007. Given that Yahoo!7 is an Australian domain, it's safe to assume this reflects Australian users. And what a sad story the list paints.

Top overall searches on Yahoo!7 for 2007:

10. Justin Timberlake

9. Bourne Ultimatum III

8. iPod Nano

7. Brangelina

6. Anna Nicole Smith

5. Jessica Alba

4. Bebo

3. Real Estate

2. Weather

1. Britney Spears

So if I'd really wanted to get hits on my blog this year, I should have written a post along the lines of:

"Justin Timberlake and Anna Nicole Smith were watching the Bourne Ulitmatum III on an iPod Nano at Brangelina's Beverly Hills mansion - a prime piece of real estate - when Jessica Alba rang wanting to know if they'd checked out her page on Bebo which had a video clip of Britney Spears presenting the weather."

Seriously, what a load of crap. If you want to know the weather, go to http://www.bom.gov.au/. If you want to know about real estate, go to http://www.domain.com.au/ or http://www.realestate.com.au/. If you want to know about useless American gits - go to America.

Songs played while writing this entry:

"Defiant" Christopher Lawrence

"Shake A Leg" AC/DC

"Stalking The Wild Controller" Tristan

"My Michelle" Guns N Roses

"Red 2" Dave Clarke

"Seduction Of Orpheus" Tilt

"Forever Young" Interactive

Who Knows? - Rambalations 5

I don't know where this is going to go - just a warning. Lots of issues I want to touch on here, but I'll try to keep some logical and sensical flow going.

Who knows, I may even throw in an Anna Corin segue.

Since Louise asked for it, let's start with the impending election. It appears neither of the major parties in Australia have paid any notice to what has been happening around the world in the past 4 years. Or their own backyards. All I hear from the Liberal (I refuse to call it the coalition - when was the last time the Nats actually did anything?) party is economics disguised as big ticket item policies, geared towards the good of corporations, while all I hear from the Labor party is.... well whatever the Liberals say but with less focus on the economics and more geared towards the workers.

I don't hear anything from the minor parties. The mainstream media has made them vanish into thin, polluted air and they seem to be doing nothing in regards to the digital media. Maybe they're just not doing anything at all? Perhaps they'll speak up and/or be heard this week.

It has been entertaining watching the majors try to use digital media in their campaigns tho. Johnny Costello has made a repeated fool of himself on Youtube (search for his posts yourself - I aint shitting on my blog) while Ruddy Kevin discovered social networking platforms such as MySpace and Facebook. Still, they don't seem to get it. Or use it. Because, if they did, how could they possibly be so blind to what is going on around them?

Social networks have proved to be just that. People from all walks of life are finding their common interests and sharing their experiences with one another. Regardless of race, gender, religion, age, sexuality, financial status, location, physicality, appearance, education. We are engaging with one another and pissing off the old barriers, and not just online. But to make this work for you, you have to participate. This is where the major parties have failed. I have had not one political candidate or representative talk to me during the campaign. None. No-one representing any political party has approached me on the street, has knocked on my door, phoned me during dinner (although that could be because I do not have a fixed-line phone service) nor, thank fuck, posted a comment on my blog. Have any bothered approaching you?

If one did bother to engage with me in conversation, I would be happy to talk with them. Shit, there's heaps of issues being addressed in this election, so I'd be more than happy to hear their policy outlines. But only if they could speak frankly about them and not just talk spin.

And if they were to say something like this, they'd get my vote.

But all I am seeing is mass-market spin.

On the other hand, they may have been following blogs all this time and think that mass-advertising is something bloggers are really interested in, and therefore continue to use mass-market campaigning. Given the state of many blogs now, I can understand why they would think this. On a few pages that I flicked past today, I found it almost impossible to find actual content. It was there, squashed between adverts and paid-posts. But if I have to hunt for content, then I aint gonna read your page. And a lot of the content I did find was about this whole Google page-rank dispute that has developed - whatever that may be about. It appears to only impact people who use blogging as a means to make money. Since it seems to be largely based around blog advertising and has zero impact on me, I'll not be reading any further into it. Best of luck to those fighting that greedy corporation who had the audacity to change their own business practices.

There are other things I plan on focusing on this week.

Lastly, for what it's worth (and as this is a free blog, it's worth nothing), I'm not planning on voting for either of the major parties. No great surprise to any of you (ir)regular readers. One of them is going to win either way and both fail to impress me. Instead, I'll be voting for the minor party which focuses on those issues which I find important. Their preferences will end up going to one of the majors, but at least I've had my say on what issues are and aren't important according to my perception of the world (yes, world - even though this is an Australian election, we are players in world politics and apparently we're almost worth as much as the USA). If enough people voted in this way, we may see issues which are important according to the people actually being addressed.

Although I am undecided which minor party will receive my vote, I do know it will not be Family First. The last thing we need now is a bunch of right-winged 'Christian' zealots running the country.

Again.


Songs played while writing this entry:
"Where Is S" Infected Mushroom
"Dreams" Quench
"Bambaata Back To The Core" Goldie
"Drumstick" NJoi
"Scared" Slacker
"Perception" Cass Vs Slide
"It Doesn't Matter" The Chemical Brothers
"Konspiracy" Kemal
"Mockmoon Remix" Genlog
"Sweetness And Light" Itch-E And Scratch-E
"Niji" Denki Groove

Reality Check

"I lost touch with reality
now my personality
is an unwanted commodity"
Teenage Fanclub De La Soul

Sometimes it's good to have a reality check, both as an individual and as a collective. You don't want to do it too often because you become so obsessed with the analysis of reality that you loose sight of the real reality. But every now and then it's worth doing. And what better time than now?

America has been delivered a reality check in the form of this report (kudos to Cooper). I wonder if Johnny Costello or Ruddy Kevin will take any notice of it.

If you're an internet user then read this post by Colin. (Ever notice how internet users are socially acceptable while heroin users aren't, yet they're both referred to as 'users'?)

I'm sick of being single - time to do something about that.

And if you think you have it rough or aren't happy with your appearance, then check this out because I bet you'll never guess what this is by just looking at the photo.

29 Days Later

Its been 1 day short of a month since I last posted on my blog. No real reason why, I just haven't - haven't felt like it, haven't had the motivation, haven't had the time. And as we're moving into summer and the silly season, I think I'm not likely to post all that often over the next few months. Still, it's nice too see a number of regular visitors still dropping by to check in on me.

So what's happened over the past month?

• Little Johnny has set a date with Kevin 07, giving all us Aussies an opportunity to pick between the lesser of 2 evils. This would have to be one of the most interesting elections I can recall. There is such a wide range of issues being addressed and opinion being thrown around, and people actually seem interested this time. I think this public interest is being helped along by the internet and tv shows such as Difference Of Opinion, Insight and The Chaser's War On Everything. According to an online ABC poll, new media is now a strong source of knoweldge in elections:

Where will you get most of your election news from?
TV - 39%
Radio - 22%
Online - 27%
Newspapers - 12%
2656 votes counted

• Usually, Australian tv moves to off-season at this time of the year. However, due to the increased usage of P2P, tv stations here have been forced to bring forward the screening times of popular US shows. This has lead to them advertising with catch phrases such as "Streamed direct from the US", which, in most cases, is blatant false advertising. Take for example Californication, which premiered in the USA on Aug 13 and premiered in Australia on Aug 27 - a 2 week lag. And yet, channel 10 continues to promote it as "Streamed direct from the USA". One day the main-stream media will wake up to the fact the we're not all gullible idiots.... one day.
  


• I went to an advanced screening of 30 Days Of Night on Halloween. While it was a decent vampire movie, I was a bit disappointed. Yeah, there was plenty of blood, the ending was a bit unexpected and the setting in Alaska put a good spin on the vampire story, but it just wasn't scary enough - 3 wooden stakes out of 5.
  
  
  
  


• I've been pleasantly surprised by the support provided by Beyonwiz, the manufacturers of the PVR mentioned in my last post. The company runs an online support forum and takes on board the feedback provided by their customers. I had a couple of issues with networking and play-back performance which I raised on the forum and these were quickly rectified. It is nice to see a company that actually uses internet technologies to their benefit.
  


• The USA has gone into debt crisis largely due to over mortgaging. Strangely enough, the Aussie Dollar has remained strong - for now. Hopefully, this will encourage people to rethink their spending and budgeting. I have been really surprised by the amount of debt people are in, especially on credit cards. I only have one credit card with a relatively small credit limit, so am surprised when I hear stories of friends who have over $10k worth of debt rung up on their credit cards. Society has become so focused on the 'quick fix' that people expect to have everything they want, now. Unfortunately, those who know how to save and budget are punished for the greed of others' through interest rate increases. It's good to see some bloggers out there taking steps to change their behaviour, and I can only hope their message spreads.

Ok, so plenty of other stuff has happened in the past 30 days, but that'll do me for now. I will return, maybe sooner, maybe later.

Songs played while writing this entry:
"Black Girls" Violent Femmes
"My Michelle" Guns N Roses
"Valley Of The Dolls" Mylo
"Scary Dog" Sixth Sense Approach
"As The Rush Comes" Motorcycle
"Dual" Memory Tree
"Lump" Presidents Of The United States Of America
"Ariella" Black Acid
"Emenuis Sleepus" Green Day
"Funky Sound" AK1200

Opinions Wont Keep You Warm At Night

No, I'm not being philosophical.

Aussie band Kisschasy released "Opinions Wont Keep You Warm At Night" in June of this year. The lyrics can be interpreted in a number of ways - a message to an ex, a youthful expression of the generation gap, a dig at the media (and bloggers), or, based on the video clip, a statement on world politics.

Either way, it's nice to hear a murmur dissent from the music industry at last.

I've posted both the video and lyrics below - interpret it your way. I'm off to watch Get Up Stand Up.



Wait while jealousy tears you apart
I’m sorry but I cannot help the way you are
That we do the things you can’t

Just wait, can’t you see you’re being weak?
It’s shallow and dark you know every time you speak
You’re just lying through your teeth

Sometimes, days are like you say yet I don’t agree with what you see
But I will never let the bitter things you say ever get to me
Sometimes, days are like you say yet I don’t agree with what you see
But I will never let the bitter things you say ever get to me

We are everything you wish you were
But, I’m feeling kinda concerned
we’re probably friends
But you hide from consequence

Yeah you must have a lot of spare time
To put down the words that you write
But no one cares
You should put your mind to rest

Sometimes, days are like you say yet I don’t agree with what you see
But I will never let the bitter things you say ever get to me
Sometimes, days are like you say yet I don’t agree with what you see
But I will never let the bitter things you say ever get to me

Get to me…Get to me…

Sometimes, days are like you say yet I don’t agree with what you see
But I will never let the bitter things you say ever get to me
Sometimes, days are like you say yet I don’t agree with what you see
But I will never let the bitter things you say ever get to me


Songs played while writing this entry:
"Feel The Pain" Dinosaur Jnr.
"Reactivate" Bismark
"Basket Case" Green Day
"I Could Have Lied" Red Hot Chili Peppers
"Opinions Wont Keep You Warm At Night" Kisschasy
"Special Ones" George
"Closer To France" Cap Project
"Live And Let Die" Guns N Roses

What's That Noise? - Rambalations 4

Just an upfront warning that this may turn into a rather long, rambling post.


Tell you what - it's a fuckin weird time to be living in old Sydney town right about now. I mean, shit. It's all fuckin happening. There is this buzz, this murmur, this energy. The people are talking. And people are listening. Now think about it. People are those beings that work together, day in and day out. People work together and get to know together by talking and listening. After a while it becomes people talking and listening together while they work. The paradigm shifts.

And this is how I see how it happening in Australia.

Most workers here will give you.... wait for it.... here it comes..... " a fair go". When a new person starts working within a team, we give them a few weeks to settle into their new role, to become sociable within the team, to let us get to know them as a person and as a colleague. I mean fuck, we've all been in new teams at some point and know what it's like to feel you have NFI, that you hope your new team members will like you in some way, shape or form, and wandering if you're going to like them. We weigh each-other up for a while. For a few weeks.

And then we say "Fuck it, let's just get on with it".

So we do. And after a while, all that new-kid tension wears off from both sides. We go about our work and we get to know each-other while we do our work. We realise the commonalities we have on personal levels, professional levels, skills levels. We find the grounds that connect us regardless of background, race, age, gender, religion. Those things no longer matter, it's the person that is important. That thing inside that makes you you.

Like it or hate it, APEC has stirred Sydney to bubbling point. You see, we work and live (mostly) side-by-side here. Muslims work with Christians. Americans work with Iraqis. Tibetans work with Chinese. Anglo-Saxons work with Aboriginal Australians (that has taken far too fuckin long to achieve, but it finally seems to be getting somewhere). And we get to know each other, no holds barred, guts 'n all. We don't hold back talking about shit as we work.

No-one seems too fussed about the actual issues being addressed at APEC, rather we're talking about the one that is being un-addressed. The people.

APEC has given Sydney the taste of what it feels like to live under a dictatorship or military rule. Sure, it's nothing in comparison to how it is in some countries, but even a small taste of it is a massive shock to the system. See, down here in Oz we rarely see people walking round with guns in public. Our skies aren't normally filled with military and police helicopters. The public is not usually denied from entering their own city if they can't present identification. Individuals are not normally stopped and searched for no apparent reason. We generally don't live with that fear.

APEC has brought all of that here. And the people are not liking it at all. Not just the activists or the uni students or the hippies. It's the bloke in the suit on the bus trying to get to work. It's the doctor on his way to perform surgery. It's the mum trying to get her infant to sleep as the helicopter buzzes by her apartment. It's the teenage girl on her way to her first date. This shit has really pissed people off. Not the just the inconveniences but also the fear that is being brought into our country.

Australians do not live like this.

Problem is, Australians also have an attitude of 'she'll be right'. This could easily turn into a case of letting it run its course and then get back to how things were. After all, summer is just around the corner and we're all looking forward to long days in the sun, warm nights on the beach, holidays, cold beers, swimming in the pool, drinking at the local beer garden, bbq's, music festivals - all that good shit which comes from living in a country where the people are free to live their lives their way.

I hope that attitude doesn't prevail this time. We need to build on this experience and ensure that our country does not end up accepting this fear and governmental enforcement on an ongoing basis. If anything, we should be highlighting our nation as an example to the rest of the global community of how things can work without having those things. Sure, we are far from perfect, but we're slowly figuring this shit out amongst ourselves. It's easier to do it over a couple of beers at your mate's barbie on a Saturday arvo than it is by bombing the shit out of each-other because we're too afraid to talk to one-another.

May the protest on Saturday be held and received with Australian easy-naturedness, acceptance and good-will.


Songs played while writing this entry:
"Opinions Wont Keep You Warm At Night" Kisschasy
"Iris" Goo Goo Dolls
"Librae Solidi Denari" The Shamen
"Live And Let Die" Guns N Roses
"Sunday Bloody Sunday" U2
"My Happiness" Powderfinger
"Speedway" The Prodigy
"Satisfaction" Benny Benassi
"Every You Every Me" Placebo
"Tennessee" Arrested Development
"Red 2" Dave Clarke
"Beds Are Burning" Midnight Oil

Stalag Sydney

What you are seeing here is Sydney Harbour in preparation for APEC. Normally, visitors to Sydney are able to walk right up to the edge of the harbor and gaze out over the water, watching the numerous vessels passing by or to have their photo taken with the bridge or the house in the background. During APEC this is not an option, unless you have passed through a security check-point in the 2.8 metre high fence that will enclose Sydney for the duration of the summit.

In a recent post, I mentioned a number of the security measures and blatant disregard for the rights of Australian citizens being imposed in Sydney during APEC. Allow me to add a few more which have come to light since that post:

- People arrested during APEC will not be granted bail until the summit has finished

- Residents of certain suburbs will not be allowed to park their cars out front of their own houses

- The police have the right to stop, search and expel anyone from APEC restricted zones, including Bondi Beach

- Sydney-siders and visitors are being told they aren't welcome to watch fireworks over the harbour

All this because a handful of so-called leaders can't do their jobs properly. For fuck's sake, if you're so fuckin scared that people hate you that much, teleconference. Some of us have lives to live here.

On a lighter note, in true Aussie style, the SMH has posted this Aussie George Dress Up in honor of the royal shrub's visit. Personally, I think he makes a great Dame Edna (kudos to Colin).

Songs played while writing this entry:
"Release" Pearl Jam
"Holiday" Weezer
"Elctris" Woody McBride
"Come & Die" Therapy? & Fatal
"Judgement Night" Biohazard & Onyx
"LSD" HMC
"THX" Paddee
"The State We're In" The Chemical Brothers
"Emulator" Rotortype
"Breakfast At Sweethearts" Cold Chisel
"Speedway" The Prodigy

Newsworthy

"I read the news today, oh boy" The Beatles

Cooper over at Wonderland Or Not has written a very precise and inspiring piece regarding how bloggers have the opportunity to drive social awareness away from the irrelevant mass-market social drivel that now poses as "the News" and bring to the fore matters that are actually worthy of receiving attention. In her post, Cooper highlights the Jena 6 case - a shocking and horrific case of 6 black teenagers facing death sentences after being caught up in a fight that ensued after they arranged a peaceful protest for the right to sit under a tree. They wanted to sit under a tree for fuck's sake.

Now, in comparison, let's see what the reliable commercial media is bringing to our attention:

In amongst all the fluff and stuff there are a couple of worthy mentions that are provided some lip-service, but you have to dig past the local footy, Ray Martin (who?? I hear the rest of the world say), Amy Winehouse (who?? I say), 100 years of bras, and a NASA sex romp to find them.

Fortunately, some sources of news are fairly reliable when it comes to delivering the goods. Let's see what SBS, a broadcaster that's not owned by a corporation, is currently providing:

So rather than focusing on the comings and goings of individuals who have no real impact on our lives, SBS is focusing on the relevant, influencing stories. What a novel concept.

If you are a blogger and you truly are dedicated to implementing change through your words, then please, please, please stop being a collaborator of the insanity and start talking about the real issues in your life and this world.

.....ok, there is the Koala sex lesson story on SBS, but hey, you try reading the following quote and not chuckling:

"Chumbee hasn't stopped since he got here," said Schoenbrunn Zoo manager Helmut Pechlaner.
"It has been almost non-stop sex in the koala enclosure ever since, and now even our own male is joining in."
Zoo vet Hanna Vielgrader said Chumbee was unstoppable.
"The only break is to eat or sleep, other than that there's no stopping them," she said.

Songs played while writing this entry:
"Days Go By" Dirty Vegas
"Wish You Well" Bernard Fanning
"Are You There" Josh Winx
"Rave Africa" Tomahawk
"The Chain" Breeder
"Chump" Green Day
"Fatman" The Shamen
"Immortality" Pearl Jam
"Here I Come" CJD Project
"Skaing The Wild Controller" Tristan
"Poison" The Prodigy

Fuck George Bush

I'm back.

Hi.

Been away for a bit spending time with family back home. It was a long-overdue break from work spending time with those I love and getting my head back into human mode. I miss my family greatly and love them even more, so a trip home for me is always a joy. Yeah, there's the usual arguments, disagreements and tensions, but that just makes it all the more real and does not detract from the unity I share with my mum, dad, sister, brother and sister-inlaw.

Anyway, nough of that.

Those not living in Australia may or may not be aware that Captain Koo-Koo Banana Brains - aka George Bush - will be in Australia for the APEC summit in September. Big Fucking Whoop. I don't like the man, I think he is a deluded cowboy making decisions based on his own conservative fantasy agendas - but that's beside the point. He is the (loosely) elected leader of a nation, and if that's what the majority of American people want as their leader, then so be it. Who am I to argue, not being an American citizen and all? But I am an Australian citizen, and the last time I checked, the Australian population (myself included) did not vote George Bush President of Australia. In fact, we don't have a fuckin president - we have a weasel of a man that is so far up George Bush's ass that the White House chefs have been cooking for 2 for the past 4 years when preparing Captain Banana Brain's breakfast.

Back to APEC. Today, the all-mighty Shrub announced that he will be arriving to and leaving from the summit early. Now this, of course, requires certain changes to be made to the preparations in place for the summit. It's not a small matter of re-arranging the menus or changing what day to take the group photo on. Oh no. His honorable Brains-trust coming early means that the entire population of Sydney needs to adjust our plans. Don't expect to drive on the roads our taxes pay for. Don't expect the trains that we pay to use will run on time. Don't drive to the airport. And don't even think of having surgery. Instead, be prepared for road closures, delays to public transport and embargoes on business activities so that his fuckin emissary can be sheltered and protected from the real world. Hell, our own government is even urging us to leave town.

Do us a favour Bush - CANCEL. Do not come to Australia and fuck up the runnings of our largest city just so your capitalist, elitist, conservative sorry excuse for a leader self can continue to live in Bush-Land where the real people are merely a source of income and cheap labour, foreigners are Indians for your cowboy ass to play round 'em up with, food is free and plentiful (and cooked by slaves who don't speak), and traffic-jams are a myth.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not wishing any harm on the man and hope that his inevitable and unwanted presence here in Australia does not lead to the injury or death of any person. But when I hear the Australian media referring to him simply as "the president" as if he is our president, my blood boils. Little Johnny Howard may be a weasel suck-ass, but he's on his way out at last and he is no-where near as evil, manipulative and dangerous as the Captain.

I'm not visiting family again till December, so if I'm not back within 2 weeks......


Songs played while writing this entry:
"Missing" Everything But The Girl
"Jack Me Off" Funk D'Void
"We Shall Not Be Silenced" DJ Paul Edge
"Feel The Pain" Dinosaur Jnr
"Give It Away" Red Hot Chili Peppers
"Let Me Put My Love Into You" AC/DC
"Nightmare" Brainbug
"Darkness" Angel Alanis
"Come As You Are" Nirvana

Land Ho Captain

First off, a very heartfelt thank you to those who commented on my previous post. I have replied to the comments on the post, but just wanted to say thanks again.


Ok, so I'm back! "What's been happening?" I hear the masses ask. Shitloads, so I'll apologise in advance if this turns out to be a long post.

A couple of weeks back was the Queen's Birthday long weekend here in Oz. She may be old, antiquated and the monarch of a dead concept, however you gotta love her for giving us a public holiday for no good reason. So me and a few friends tailed it down to Melbourne for 4 days of drinking, sight-seeing, drinking and eating (with a few drinks). It was just what I needed to pick up my spirits. There is nothing like getting away from the every-day, venturing into an alien environment to shake things up and reinvigorate the soul. One of my friends made mention that she hated feeling like a tourist, but I had to disagree. I like the feeling of being lost, ogling at buildings, statues and signs, asking for directions and generally not feeling in control of my environment. It's nice to step out of the comfort zone now and then, especially with a few good mates.

Unfortunately, the long weekend wasn't as nice for everyone. During this time, a major storm hit central and northern NSW (New South Wales for the un-Australian) and caused serious havoc including floods, road collapses, a ship running ashore (it's still there), and 8 deaths. Ironically the areas hit by this storm are amongst those which have been hit hardest by the recent droughts. All we need now (the farmers in particular) is a plague of locust and 2007 can go down as a biblical year. Vote 1 Moses.....

There's been plenty else going on - people quitting work left, right and centre, opening up job positions I may be interested in, bonus payouts, car troubles, stomach problems, family issues. All the stuff which keep things interesting and remind you that life does go on.

I'll leave you with this from ABC's The Chaser's War On Everything... I love stupid people....




Songs played while writing this entry:
"My Baby" Cold Chisel
"Funky Sound" AK1200
"That Aint Bad" Ratcat
"Thunderstruck" AC/DC
"Morphist" Drone
"Beyond the Edge" Human Resource
"Groove la 'chord: Art of Vengeance
"The Sound of the Big Babou" Laurent Garnier
"Emulator" Rotortype

Blood Lust

Went to see 28 Weeks Later last night - the sequel to 28 Days Later. Fuck!!! What an incredible movie. Yes, I'm a horror/thriller buff and for those that aren't, I suggest you do not watch the clips on this post! If you're a tad confused, let me clarify a common misconception of those who aren't into horrors - 28 Days Later has no inkling of commonality with the Sandra Bullock movie 28 Days. Think happy thoughts and go see what Disney has on offer, this post is not for you. Here's the trailer:



In my humble opinion, the sequel is much better than the original - a rare thing in the horror genre. The trailer does not do this movie justice - it is far more graphic and intense than the trailer lets on. From the get-go, director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo has you on the edge of your seat, building the tension then scaring you shitless before letting all hell break loose. In between he weaves a fairly average story line with reasonable acting, clever visual effects and enough blood to make the faint-hearted puke. This time the infected seem much faster and way more insane than in the original and they throw up blood by the bucket load. The camera is kept right in the middle of the action, making you feel like you are there as the infected rampage through the deserted streets of London. Here's a small clip of the opening scene:



What sets this movie above a standard horror is the statement it makes on warfare. Many people have the misconception that the infected in 28 Days/Weeks Later are zombies - they are wrong wrong wrong. These movies are an extreme look at chemical warfare, using a virus which turns people into savage animals with an insatiable blood-lust for the non-infected. In 28 Weeks Later, the all mighty, all conquering US Army is deployed to decontaminate London and make it a habitable environment. The parallel to Iraq is striking with comments such as "we are here to look after you" spouting from the soldiers. Being a British film, Tony Blair's announcement to withdraw British troops from Iraq lets the producers of 28 Weeks Later get away with it, but only just. Perhaps they need to film the 3rd installment (yes, it's left open for one) here in Australia to nudge Little Johnny in the right direction.....

Without doubt, one of the best movies I have seen in a long time - 5 buckets of blood out of 5.


Songs played while writing this entry:
"Forever Young" Interactive
"Even Flow" Pearl Jam
"Work That Mutha" Steve Pondexter
"Secret Silence" Forth
"Marrakech" Madely
"Black Girls" Violent Femmes
"Garden" Pearl Jam
"Another Body Murdered" Faith No More & Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E
"Sweetness And Light" Itch-E and Scratch-E

Of Rabbits and Rabis

I normally avoid delving into religious matters too much. This is for 2 reasons:

1) Whilst I consider myself a Christian, I have zero respect for the institution that is the Church

2) Religious beliefs are very subjective and vary according to interpretation

However, this being Easter and with the state of events around the world at the moment, I thought I'd venture into the topic.

Whether you are Christian, non-Christian or Atheist, there is no denying that Jesus Christ was a bloody good guy (based on the stories of him in the Bible). His message to the government and church of the time was, simply put, "get ya heads out of your asses, get off your high-horses, stop being hypocrites and start caring about your people". His message to the people was, again simply put, "stop caring so much about yourself and the petty shit in life and start looking after each other. Oh, and take some responsibility for your own actions while you're at it". Now, I don't know about you, but I think those are some fairly simple and reasonable concepts to build your life and country around.

While there have been some fairly major changes in the world over the past 2,006 years it seems that JC's message still hasn't gotten through. Compare the attitudes and actions of the characters in the Easter story then to those today:

The Sanhedrin: In today's world - the Court. JC's trial was held, unusually, at night when not all members of the council were present. Shame they couldn't have shipped JC off to Guantanimo Bay back then - though he'd be waiting a while if he was in line behind David Hicks.

Caiaphas: In today's world - Church Leader. Caiaphas lead the plot to arrest and kill JC because he saw JC as a threat to the Church. Caiaphas wasn't a fan of anyone who spoke out against the teachings of the Church and threatened his position of power and wealth. I'm sure that it would be possible to trace Fred Nile's (or any other condemner of the Chocolate Christ's) ancestry back to Caiaphas' blood line somehow.

Pontius Pilate: In today's world - Government Leader. Pontius was reluctant to condemn JC to death as he was afraid it would cause an uprising. Likewise, he was afraid to go too soft on his sentencing as he didn't want to put the Church off side. Stuck between a rock and a hard-place, Pontius sends JC off to King Herod. Just like little Johnny Howard, Pontius was too busy sucking up to his stakeholders to have the balls to make any hard and fast decisions. Fortunately for Howard, Bush didn't send Hicks back for him to deal with.

King Herod: In today's world - Foreign Government Leader. Herod welcomed JC from Pontius Pilate with as much interest as he would a tray of cow-dung. He wanted nothing to do with the issue and figured JC was Pontius' problem, so sent him back. Try as he might to shirk the issue, Kyoto keeps on coming back to haunt little Johnny.

At least it seems that we, the people, have taken some notice of JC's message. We've still got a long way to go, but there is hope for us yet. And that is what faith is all about.

May the deity of your choice bless you and your world this Easter/Passover/Pascha/Weekend.

Songs played while writing this entry:

"Children Of The Revolution" The Violent Femmes

"Mr Brownstone" Guns N Roses

"Raver's Damnation" The Wizard Of Oh

"The Stalker" Green Velvet

"New Year's Day" U2

"Blood Sugar Sex Magik" Red Hot Chili Peppers

"Animal" Pearl Jam

"Sweetness And Light" Itchee & Scratchee

"Born Slippy (Pink Floyd Remix)" Underworld Vs Aphex Twin

"Return To Reality" Antarctica

"My Happiness" Powderfinger

"Deliverance" K90

"Holiday" Weezer

"All I Want Is You" U2

A little bit political

Ok, so I'm on a bit of a social/political awareness kick at the moment.

At the top of my blog, you'll find a banner for We Will Not Be Silenced which will take you to the video embedded in the Watch This entry below. The first time I viewed this video, I had tears in my eyes. The sheer strength of DJ Paul Edge's music and visuals coupled with the speech by Reverend Graylan Scott Hagler (Senior Minister of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ and National President of Ministers for Racial, Social and Economic Justice) is so poignant in light of current global matters. At a time when the world is facing mass struggles and injustices, the consciousness of its population shifts toward matters of social justice, equality and humanity. It is up to us as citizens of Earth to demand of our governments that these fundamental rights be applied through their actions as the elected representatives of a global population. In this year of elections, we have the opportunity to make our governments take note of our concerns in the way both local and global matters are presently being handled. It is time to take action, demand change and to be heard.

Currently, on the right hand side of my blog, I have a banner to Blog Against Sexism Day. This event has been organised by Vegan Kid at short notice. I'm not sure what I'm going to write about at this stage - something to do with the bullshit behind why sexism is still prevalent in today's society no doubt. Check back on March 8 to find out!

Lastly, below is a video created by Avaaz.org as part of their effort to stop the clash of civilizations. It highlights the fact that, regardless of race or religion, we are all the same. There is a petition to Israeli, Palestinian & international leaders on the site which will be delivered to world leaders in late March 07 demanding Middle East peace talks. I think we all agree this bullshit has gone on for far too long and it is time to put an end to the death and destruction in the Middle East.





Songs played while writing this entry:
"Rocket Queen" Guns N Roses
"Re:Evolution" The Shamen
"Acid Wiss" DJ Skull
"Don't Go Now" Ratcat
"Disorder" Slayer & Ice-T

WATCH THIS

We Will Not Be Silenced
DJ Paul Edge

Celebrate Celebrities....or not

It's the eve of the Oscars so thought what better time than now to have a dig at the celebrities - everyone else is! The definition of celebrities seems to be wide ranging now days. It appears anyone in the public eye is deemed a celebrity, from politicians to musicians, sports stars to actors, business tycoons to heiresses. The only thing you really need to become a celebrity would appear to be money, a name and a touch of insanity.

I avoid as much celebrity "news" as I possibly can (I am a chronic channel surfer thanks to this!) as they really don't interest me. Yet somehow I know that Anna-Nicole Smith died recently and Britney Spears has shaved her hair off (before or after rehab I'm unsure of). For some reason these two incidents have been of enough major importance to warrant them news items on a global scale. On the local(ish) scene, the USA Vice President was in Australia for the last few days on a promotional trip which was intended to be beneficial for both the American Republican party and the Australian Liberal Party. Being an election year, I'm sure this trip down under had more to do with PR than global politics. The media reinforced this idea by reporting more on Dick's activities and functions than on what was actually being discussed by these two power-house leaders of the free world.

Anna Nicole Smith died on Feb 8 2007. So did Florence Melton (philanthropist, entrepreneur, lecturer, yoga teacher and poet) and Nelson Polsby (political scientist at UC Berkeley whose books and commentaries focused on how political institutions evolve). I knew neither of these people, nor have I read any of their works - in fact, they are 2 random names pulled from a Google search matching obituaries for 8 Feb 2007. However, it seems to me that these 2 deceased persons are more noteworthy than Anna Nicole Smith yet not by media standards. I suppose it is fortunate for the families of the 2 non-celebrity persons that the media was not turning their passing into a circus.

Britney Spears shaved her head on 16 Feb 07. I wonder how many members of the armed forces also shaved their heads on 16 Feb 07? And why the media deems a has-been, talentless head-case shaving her head more newsworthy than the men and women posted overseas doing the same thing? I guess Britney Spears must be more important.....

Lastly, yankee-Dick's trip down under. To protect this global treasure, Australian taxpayers forked out $2M(AU) for members of our police force to act as body-guards. The government also deemed it necessary to close off Sydney Harbor Bridge so Dick could drive across it safely. I'm sure his one glance out the window between briefing papers was worth it. Last time I checked, there were only 6 stars on the Australian flag.

Maybe I'm wrong. The media and the government seem adamant that these events warrant incredibly close scrutiny and attention that they must be of major significance to the lives of all. Or maybe, as the good Rabbi Shmuley Boteach says, "In an age without God we create God" and these are the new gods.


Songs played while writing this entry:
"Deeper" Barabas & OD1
"Standing On The Outside" Cold Chisel
"Not For You" Pearl Jam
"Freak Momma" Mudhoney & Sir Mix-a-Lot
"No Sense" Cold Chisel
"Work That Mutha" Steve Poindexter
"Boss Dub" The Shamen
"Access" DJ Misjah & DJ Tim
"LSD" DJ HMC
"Under The Bridge" Red Hot Chili Peppers

We're Happy Little Vegemites....

Ok, so this toss-pot goes on to YouTube and puts up a video diary entry paying out Australians, kangaroos, our national anthem, boomerangs and - worst of all - Vegemite! Now c'mon, don't dis the Vegemite - it's part of our staple diet. After all, any food substance that is made from the same ingredients as beer has to be good!

From watching the clip, I draw the following conclusions:

1. toss-pot has eaten Vegemite once in his life and didn't like it, therefore no-one can possibly like it and Vegemite was created purely as a joke against unassuming Americans.
2. toss-pot has problems articulating simple words - for those playing at home it is Veg-e-mite (just as it looks), not Vee-ge-mite.
3. all national anthems are written about condiments.
4. the Australian Aboriginals invented the boomerang when they came to Australia over 40,000 years ago purely for the purpose of fooling tourists in the 20th century.
5. toss-pot has poor hand-eye co-ordination.
6. scientific evidence proving that prehistoric kangaroos existed over 50,000 years ago is incorrect.
7. nothing makes a tourist feel more at home than a fanny-pack (known as a bumbag in Australia due to fanny meaning a completely different part of the human female anatomy).
8. kangaroos are vicious killing machines.
9. toss-pot is afraid of things he has not seen in real life.
10. the sole purpose in every Australian's life is to make fun of Americans. (We actually prefer taking the piss!)

If you have not eaten Vegemite before, please read the Wikipedia article first or you may end up forming the same deluded conclusions as our friend the toss-pot. Me, I smear it on thick - but then I've been eating it for 30-odd years now :)

Songs played while writing this entry:
"Human Behaviour" Bjork
"Twin Town" Ian Wilkie v Timo Maas
"Mutant Was In Love" Taho
"Khe Sanh" Cold Chisel
"Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)" De La Soul

Variety show

I detest David Letterman. For me, he embodies all that is wrong with the USA and tipifies what non-Americans percieve Americans as being. Arrogant, self-centred, egotistical, shallow and just not funny. (Big generalisation there I know and no offence intended the good, honest folk who live in the USA - but really, your country's public image is letting you down bigtime. If you don't believe me, go ask a non-American who lives outside of the States what they really think of the USA.) Fortunately, I have been able to live in blissful ignorance of Letterman for the past few years as his show was relegated to a late-night timeslot well after I had gone to bed. But not tonight....

Most of the western world knows that a great man named Steve Irwin died last year in an ironically suitable accident. Steve left behind his pleasant wife and 2 children - Bindi and Bob. Unlike the respectful privacy that the media showed to Willy and Harry after the death of Dianna, the Irwins have been constantly in the spotlight since Steve's death. And Bindi has been the main focus. The media has been having a field day, helped greatly by the fact the Bindi has an overwhelming desire to take on her father's cause (noble) and keep both it and the family in the public eye. Problem is, Bindi is all of 8 years old and no 8 year old should get everything they want. Kudos to Terri for keeping it together and encouraging her child to persue her dreams - but for fuck's sake, she's just a kid. At the moment, the media is lapping it up while Steve's death is still fresh in the public's mind but sooner or later (and probably sooner), the media will find something else to pull at the public heartstrings and the crowds will start to thin at Australia Zoo. And where will that leave little Bindi? Thank God she has a family who loves her and will support her once the media has milked her for all she's worth.

So what does this have to do with Letterman? Tonight Channel 10 chose to screen Letterman during prime time purely because Terri and Bindi were appearing on his show. To maximise the heart-string pull and hype, 10 ran a heavy commercial campaign promoting the special event. As I mentioned earlier, Letterman is usually on at a late timeslot so most family types don't, or rarely, see his show. A lot of Australian families and kiddies would have tuned into 10 tonight to see Terri and Bindi and were subjected to 40+ minutes of mindless, humourless Letterman drivel as the Irwins were the last interviewees to appear on the show. I think a lot of families would have given up by the 20 minute mark, sent the kids to bed and switched over to the tennis.

If you break this saga down to a basic synopsis it would read as follows: Man dies, daughter has her heart set on continuing her father's legacy, mother allows daughter to do this, media seeks ratings so capitalise on the child's desire, public has an interest in the deceased's family so watch a 1 hour television show that has no more than 10 minutes of content they are actually interested in. Is there no depth too low that the media will stoop to in order to get ratings? Appears not.

RIP Steve.



Songs played while writing this entry:
"Breakfast at Sweathearts" Cold Chisel
"Nightmare" Brainbug
"Indifference" Pearl Jam
"Glorified G" Pearl Jam
"My Michelle" Guns N Roses
"Der Klang Der Familie" 3 Phase feat. Dr Motte
"Boss Dub" Shamen
"Ugly" Violent Femmes
"Immortality" Pearl Jam
"Under the Bridge" Red Hot Chili Peppers
"Have a Drink on Me" AC/DC
"Single" Everything But The Girl